Treat You Better
by frazzledasparagus
Summary: Hermione Granger is a newly divorced single mother with a highly important role within the Ministry of Magic. Her life is tipped into a tailspin when her life becomes entwined with a certain large blond ex-death eater.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione Granger leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. It had been a long day, with the management meeting taking up much of the afternoon. The Heads of the Auror Office and Improper Use of Magic Office did not get along and sent a large part of the meeting bickering about whose department was more important. Hermione was stuck between a rock and a hard place there considering her best friend, Harry, was the Head of the Auror Office.

Their squabbles were a weekly problem that faced Hermione as the Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, or DMLE as they called it. Her boss and the head of their department, Nigel Proudfoot was no help. He didn't see it as his job to step into their arguments, and really he was right. It was Hermione's job, after all, to oversee the running of the department.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open when an interdepartmental memo bumped into her head. Cursing inwardly, she snatched the annoying purple paper aeroplane and ripped it open. She sighed, it was an invitation to Kingsley Shacklebolt's annual gala. Normally she would be looking forward to this as it was a highlight on the social calendar for someone in her position. Last year's event had been fantastic, however this year she was husband-less and alone.

Her marriage to Ron Weasley wasn't one that was ever built to last, she had come to realise in the past five years. It was something they both didn't notice for a lot longer than they should have. The after effects of the Battle of Hogwarts and their fledgling careers kept them busy, then there were children after that to distract. But once their youngest, Hugo, was old enough to run around a lot of the differences in opinion and arguments reared their heads again.

She found herself wanting to escape him most of the time and that situation was not helped when she was offered the job of Deputy Head of the DMLE. Their arguments escalated once Ron found himself with not only his best friend as a boss, but with his wife as his superior. It all reached a peak one year ago when they had a yelling match in middle of the Auror bullpen which resulted in Ron quitting. He'd left the building quickly after that and the next time she saw him, he'd accepted a job at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with his brother.

That was the final nail in the coffin for their marriage, their final argument over his non-communication regarding moving from the Ministry to his brother's shop. She left that night, taking Rose and Hugo with her to stay at the Leaky Cauldron. Hannah Longbottom had been happy to offer her a room until she could find a place to stay.

Their divorce was finalised only six months ago, but receiving the owl with the confirmation felt like the best day since she'd received her Hogwarts letter. She was in a far better place now that she had been during her marriage to Ron, she had a nice house and she flattered herself that she was still young enough to attract some attention from the opposite sex.

A knock sounded at her door, pulling her out of her reverie. She looked up and saw a large blond wizard waiting outside the glass door of her office, she motioned for him to enter.

"Ms. Granger, I hope I am not interrupting," Thorfinn Rowle said, shifting his feet slightly. The ex-Death Eater looked extremely nervous in her presence.

"You need not be so formal, please call me Hermione." She gestured to one of the plush seats in front of her desk. "What can I help you with?"

Rowle took his time settling himself into the seat in front of her, still looking like it was taking all his nerve to be in her presence.

"I wanted to ask, no see …" he trailed off. "This was a mistake, please excuse me." He leapt off the seat and started for her door.

"Thorfinn, please, you can talk to me, I am more than willing to help you if I can," Hermione said, alarmed that he couldn't seem to ask her for help.

Thorfinn Rowle was one of the few ex-Death Eaters who had been released from Azkaban after serving for fourteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts. His two year parole period was almost over, meaning that the restriction on his magic which meant he could currently only perform simple spells was coming to an end. She would have thought he would be happy at that prospect, not only that but he'd be able to move into accommodations of his choosing and into another job if he so wished.

"I want to say, I am grateful for my job here, but, I … when my parole is over, I don't think I can work here anymore," he stumbled over his words, looking down as he sat back down in front of her.

"Is this because of Mafalda?" she asked gently. She knew Mafalda Hopkirk, Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office did not want a former Death Eater working in her division and she had been quite vocal about it for the past two years.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, uncharacteristically quiet for a man of such presence. He looked like he could lift her with one arm, but somehow was acting as though he was afraid of her.

"Why don't you tell me what's bothering you," she said kindly, moving around her desk to sit next to him so that he'd feel they were on an even playing field rather than a boss and a subordinate across the desk from one another.

"I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful for the opportunity to work here, but every day I am in this office, I feel worthless," he admitted quietly, looking over his shoulder fearfully.

Hermione looked out the glass walls of her office automatically, following his gaze and saw Mafalda Hopkirk watching her from her assistant's desk. Hermione glared back and flicked her wand, causing the glass walls of her office to darken.

"She cannot see in here now, and she most definitely cannot hear you, Thorfinn," she said reassuringly. "You are not worthless, I have kept a close eye on your work while you've been here and I can tell you that your work is very valued. If Mafalda is allowing her prejudices to cloud that, then I will take that up with her. But, you are not worthless to me."

He said nothing, he only blinked furiously, refusing to meet her eye. "Thank you, Hermione," he managed, turning away from her and wiping his eyes quickly.

"May I ask, what interests you the most? What kind of job would you love to do?" she asked once he had composed himself.

"Quidditch, I used to play professionally before I became a Death Eater," he told her. "It was the best moments of my life, but I'm too old now."

"Your parole is over in two weeks, I'd be happy to speak to Oliver Wood on your behalf, he's Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," she smiled, reaching over to snatch a folder on her desk before opening it up. "They have an opening in the British and Irish Quidditch League, the position is Scheduling Operations Coordinator. So, you'd be organising the matches and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Does that sound like something you'd be interested in?"

Thorfinn stared at her for a full minute after she'd finished speaking. She grinned while he processed what she'd said.

"Are you joking?" he said, looking like he didn't dare hope.

"I rarely joke, Mr. Rowle." She rolled her eyes and handed him the folder. All the Heads and Deputy Heads had received the dossiers for upcoming jobs within the Ministry. Kingsley's mantra was growing personnel within the Ministry and he actively encouraged managers to promote workers who were ready for a change.

"I would be very interested in that, Hermione." He beamed at her. She was suddenly taken by how handsome he was when he smiled. She blushed slightly when he caught her staring.

"Good, um, sorry I'm staring at you like some kind of idiot." She shook her head and laughed. "Awkward."

"I'm used to the staring, everyone half expects me to whip out my wand and murder every one, I think," he confessed, giving her a half smile that made butterflies spring to life in her stomach.

"I don't think that's why they stare, I mean I'm sure that's part of it, but not the whole reason," she admitted, patting her hot cheek.

"Why else would they stare?" he asked, looking perplexed.

"Have you had an occasion to look in the mirror since your release from Azkaban?" she laughed. The man seemed unaware of his fortunate good looks. He was tall, muscled and his face was aesthetically pleasing.

"Of course I have, I look the same as always!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad I make you laugh though, you've seemed so sad this past year, and it's nice to see a smile on your face."

"You're making me laugh, you and your innocent expression, pretending you don't realise that you're hot." She laughed again and ran her fingers through her curly hair, shaking it out.

"You think I'm hot?" he asked incredulously. "I am shocked, have you forgotten I'm the same bloke who was ordered to kill you in that café all those years ago?"

"Do you want to kill me now?" she asked, raising both of her eyebrows.

"No!" he exclaimed quickly. "I never killed anyone because I particularly wanted to, it was only orders. Please, Hermione, I'd not do that to you."

"Thorfinn, I know, if I thought that for a moment you'd be back in Azkaban," she explained.

"I can't believe you think I'm hot," he said, quickly recovering and gifting her with a smirk.

"Sorry that was totally unprofessional of me, you're going to think I have some kind of crush on you like Mafalda does." She giggled.

"Ms. Hopkirk has a crush on me?!" he exclaimed, looking shocked.

"How have you not noticed?"

"She asked me out once, but I said no," he explained. "Since then, she's treated me like a cockroach that needs to be squashed."

"I will need to have a word with her about that." She said emphatically, standing and moving back to the other side of her desk. "Why don't you head home early, I'm sure Ms. Snyde would be happy to see you return early."

"How is it that I thought you didn't know I existed, yet you know the name of one of my friends and you've kept an eye on my work?"

"I don't like to micro manage my division heads, so that's why you will have thought I don't know who you are," she told him. "But, I know every single worker in the DMLE. It's my job to know, and that's why I'm very glad that you had to courage to tell me you're not happy."

"I've wanted to say something to you for a while, but I find you intimidating," he admitted, pulling his blond hair in his nervousness. "You're one of the golden trio, so beautiful and good, I didn't think you'd take a former Death Eater seriously."

"The only thing I heard then was that you think I'm beautiful, so I'm happy about that." She beamed. She didn't know how he kept doing it, but she'd smiled more in the last ten minutes than she had in the last month. "I was the one who decided that some Death Eaters could be paroled and I personally chose each one who was released based on reports that I had the Auror Office complete for each of you.

"I know who Merula Snyde is and I know what her connection to you is, it's part of the reason she was released. I know if I were in that situation, I'd be wanting a friend on the outside."

"I've known her since we were at Hogwarts together, she was a year ahead of me. She left Hogwarts the year before you started."

"I'm surprised you know that we were at Hogwarts at the same time, however briefly," she commented, leaning forwards on her desk.

"The Dark Lord was very interested in both you and Ron Weasley. He spoke to any of us who might give him further information and since I was in seventh year when you were in first, he asked me," Thorfinn explained. "I couldn't give him any information, other than that Draco Malfoy was obsessed with a know-it-all Gryffindor called Granger."

He winked at her and gave her a half smile that made her heart lurch. She burst out laughing again.

"Forget going to the B&I Quidditch League, you're moving in here to keep me entertained."

"Anything for you, Hermione," he said warmly. She found herself blushing again. What was it about this man that had her all flustered?

"Likewise, now I'm sorry but I have to meet with the Minister in …" she looked at her watch and gasped loudly. "Three minutes, oh Thorfinn, I'm so sorry I really have to run!"

She waved her wand quickly at the windows so that they became clear again before showing Thorfinn out of her office. She warded her office in a trice before turning back to Thorfinn.

"It was good to speak to you, Mr. Rowle," she said formally, extending her hand. He took her hand and gently shook it. His large hand enveloped hers, the feeling of his skin on hers making her feel like she had missed a step while walking.

"You too, Ms. Granger," he smiled. As soon as their handshake was over, she dashed towards the lifts on level two.

#

Hermione dashed past Percy Weasley's office waving as she launched herself into Kingsley's office, taking a leap onto his settee and sliding along.

"I'm here, I'm here!" she announced, looking up at Kingsley, who was laughing at her not so graceful entrance. She was shocked to see that he wasn't alone in his office.

A rather austere looking witch was laughing behind her hand next to him. Rowan Khanna was a tall dark skinned woman with winged glassed perched on her nose. Her robes were fashionably cut and dark mauve in colour.

"Professor Khanna, I was not expecting you, how is Hogwarts?" Hermione asked politely.

"We are preparing for the examination season, Ms. Granger," Professor Khanna replied in French accented English. Professor Khanna hadn't lost her French accent gained from living in France for seven years where she worked as Charms teacher at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Hermione strongly suspected that she hung onto the accent because she liked it as the professor was born and bred in the UK and had been back at Hogwarts for fourteen years now.

"My favourite time of year, I recall!" Hermione exclaimed heartily.

"Mine, too," Rowan laughed. "Kingsley has told me stories of you, and you sound so similar to what I was like at Hogwarts, the only difference I can find is that I was in Slytherin and you, Gryffindor."

"It's all lies, I promise you," she said, gesturing for the other two to sit on the settee.

"Based on your latest report regarding Merula Snyde, Professor Khanna and I have been discussing the possibility of moving her to Hogwarts to teach Potions." Kingsley explained.

"Ah, yes, I spoke to Dean and he relayed that she's not happy at St. Mungo's." Hermione nodded. "The healers say she's a dab hand at potions though."

"She always was, but hopefully she's stopped using her ability to sabotage other students work, I won't stand for the type of bullying I witnessed in Professor Snape."

"I suggest that she have an interview, then," Hermione said, smiling. "Speaking of moving Death Eaters, I'd like to put Thorfinn Rowle forward for the role in the B&I Quidditch League."

Kingsley looked at her appraisingly and nodded slowly. "I will have a word with Oliver about it and let you know. Rowan, let's set up an interview with Ms. Snyde."

"Was that all you needed me for?" Hermione asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes, I'll need you to sign off on both Snyde and Rowle's re-placements and their general release paperwork too."

Hermione inclined her head and scooted off the settee. "I look forward to that," she said before bouncing out of his office. She didn't know how Thorfinn was going to react when he found out that his girlfriend was being shipped off to Hogwarts while he stayed in London.


	2. Chapter 2

Raised voices greeted her when she exited the lift at level 2, intent to return to her glass cage of an office. She followed the noise to the Improper Use of Magic Office bullpen where Mafalda Hopkirk was leaning over a cubicle screaming her head off at the occupant of the desk.

"Mafalda!" she exclaimed in shock. She had never heard the woman reprimanding someone so viciously in public before. "My office, now!"

Mafalda jumped and stood stock still, her face bright red at being caught.

"I believe I gave you an order," Hermione said, her voice dangerously low. Mafalda slunk off towards the DMLE managerial offices without a word.

Hermione turned towards the desk that Mafalda had been standing at and was not at all surprised to find Thorfinn Rowle sitting at the desk.

"Thorfinn, didn't I tell you, you could go home for the day?" she asked softly, sitting on the edge of his desk. "You've done nothing wrong, please remember that."

"Yes, ma'am," he said softly, not looking at her while he gathered his belongings together.

"Hannah, see to it that Thorfinn makes it home okay," she said, gesturing towards Hannah Green, the short brunette girl who sat opposite Thorfinn.

"Sure thing, Hermione," Hannah said brightly, quickly putting her work into neat piles on her desk and getting her handbag out.

"I'll speak to you in the morning, Thorfinn, have a good night," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. She was surprised when he put his hand over hers and looked up at her. His eyes were full of unshed tears over the verbal dressing down he'd received from Mafalda.

"Thanks, Hermione," he whispered, squeezing her hand before coughing and sorting the paperwork on his desk. "I'll be ready in a moment, Hannah."

Hermione sighed loudly and marched off towards her office.

"She'll be right, mate," she heard Hannah say to Thorfinn in her strong New Zealand accent as she walked away. She'd long since picked up on some of the slang that Hannah used. She'll be right meant no worries.

Mafalda was waiting for her when she arrived at her door, but didn't say anything when she was let into the glass enclosed office and shown to a seat.

"Why don't you tell me what was happening out there," Hermione prompted, leaning her elbow on the desk and staring intently at Mafalda.

"The scum hadn't been doing his job and was skiving off home, I gave him a piece of my mind," Mafalda said without sounding regretful for her actions at all.

"I gave Rowle the afternoon off, so he was not skiving and I do not appreciate your attitude," Hermione said furiously. "He is at the end of his probation and has not put a foot wrong, he's put up with your behaviour and taken it on the chin for too long."

"Ah, I figured you were shagging him," Mafalda said wisely.

"How dare you speak to me like that?!" Hermione said heatedly. "Until this afternoon, I had not even spoken to him one on one."

Mafalda made the grave error of rolling of her eyes. Hermione narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"I do not appreciate the eye rolling, Mafalda," she said darkly. "Remind me, what is my policy regarding wrongdoing in my department?"

"Three strikes," Mafalda said promptly, almost against her will.

"Yes, three strikes," Hermione said softly. "You're fired, Mafalda."

"You can't fire me, I've worked here for thirty five years!" Mafalda exclaimed.

"I am the Deputy Head of this department, you are my direct subordinate, I sure as shit can fire you, and I am firing you!" Hermione exclaimed. "I told everybody in this department how important the Azkaban parole programme was and how everyone was to give Rowle a chance at a fresh start. But no, you've acted without a shred of integrity throughout his tenure here and I will not stand for someone like that in my department.

"Pack up your desk and hand any outstanding work over to Fudge. He will handle your work load until I hire your replacement. Leave your staff's performance appraisals on my desk, something tells me I will have to rewrite Rowle's one, just like last year."

"Hermione, please, I will apologise to Rowle, I will do better!" Mafalda pleaded.

"No, you won't be continuing your employment in this department," Hermione said, firmly. "When you arrive tomorrow, you can report to the House Elf Support Office where you will put your considerable skills towards continuing my work with House Elves."

"House Elf Support Office!" Mafalda shrieked, opening her mouth to speak again but closed it quickly on account of the thunderous look Hermione was giving her.

"Clear your desk, be gone by the end of the day."

Mafalda said nothing more only gifting Hermione with a sneer as she left the glass encased office. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in her chair.

Finally, she'd had the opportunity to be shot of Mafalda. The woman had been a thorn in her backside ever since she had taken her position within the DMLE. Her past misdeed of polyjuicing herself as Mafalda had not warmed her to the witch and their relationship went downhill from there. Hermione favoured Harry, according to Mafalda, even though Hermione made sure to treat him the same as she had her subordinates in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

But there was no pleasing the witch, and Hermione had to admit it wasn't even her performance that afternoon with Thorfinn Rowle. That was just the tip of the iceberg. Hermione had wanted to be shot of the witch for quite some time now.

It all started when her first move as Deputy Head of the DMLE was to amalgamate several offices into what became the cornerstones of the DMLE. The one move that got under Mafalda's skin was amalgamating the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office with the Improper Use of Magic Office, making the former a division within the latter. Mafalda hadn't been happy to take on another portfolio, especially one dealing with muggles.

Hermione sighed. At least now she could steer the office in the direction she wanted to, without micromanaging her prickly office head.

She looked up and made eye contact with her assistant. Michelle Grieves was a short, blonde woman with a penchant for pranks. She chose that moment to grin and held up a sign that read, 'Mafalda for S.P.E.W'

Hermione laughed for far too long and far too loudly at the sign which her assistant made disappear after showing it to her. She waved her wand and checked the wards on her office, the sound protection spell was still in force so Hermione supposed that Michelle must have heard about Mafalda's move from the horse's mouth.

"Early knock-off, I think, Michelle." Hermione grinned, sticking her head out the glass door of her office. "It's five o'clock somewhere."

Michelle looked like Christmas had come early. Well, Hermione supposed that she didn't give her department that many early knock offs, so it was special when it did happen.

"Attention DMLE staffers, unless your current project is dire you may all leave the premises, at the kind behest of Ms. Granger," Michelle said, her wand pressed against her neck so that her voice was magically magnified. "Reminder that the Auror Office and the Law Enforcement Office are to maintain minimum staffing levels."

"Thanks, Michelle, have a great night," Hermione said, warding her office as she left and started towards the Law Enforcement Office.

"Do you want me to hand over Improper Use to the LE Office for the night?" Michelle asked her, apparently guessing where she was headed.

"You're a lifesaver, Michelle." She grinned at the other woman.

"All in a day's work, captain!" Michelle laughed, giving her a salute as she walked towards the Improper Use of Magic Office. Mafalda was evidently finishing off with her desk and was waiting with a pile of blue folders – performance appraisals.

"For you." Mafalda grunted, thrusting the folders into her hands. Hermione nodded her thanks and swept away with the folders, catching Cornelius Fudge's eye and giving him a meaningful look as she passed.

She'd never expect her fifteen year old self to understand how she'd ever come to the point where she would trust Fudge with anything. But the man had accepted his fate after he lost the Minister for Magic role and instead of wasting away in some back office at the Ministry, he worked hard, harder than most in that department as if to prove something to himself.

With a wry smile, she walked into the lift and out of the ministry feeling like she had accomplished a lot with her day. Now, to return to the two most important reasons for her existence – Hugo and Rose.

#

"Mummy!" Hugo cried when she appeared at the front door of The Burrow. He threw himself into her arms and clung on.

"Let your mother breathe," Molly laughed from her position at the stove. Hermione looked up at the Weasley clock out of habit and breathed a sigh of relief. Ron's marker was pointed to 'At Work' as was George's, at least she wouldn't have to deal with him today.

"Rosie! Your mum is here" Molly called, turning her head towards the living room. Rose dragged herself into the kitchen at the request of her grandmother, waving vaguely at Hermione.

"Do I not get a hug?" Hermione asked, smiling at her daughter. Rose rolled her eyes and allowed her mother to wrap her arms around her. "Alright, what's going on?"

"Can we stay here for dinner?" Rose asked, twisting her hands behind her back.

Hermione sighed, she really wanted to say no so that she could return home with the children and couldn't stomach having a dinner with her ex-in-laws knowing that the interrogation would start. Molly would want to know if she'd been on dates and Arthur would want to talk to her about muggle aircraft again. Perhaps it had been a mistake to give him a Private Pilot Manual because now that he was retired he spent all his time reading that damn text book.

Hermione was sure he was going to ask her to view planes for him to buy in the near future. The flying Ford Anglia had been bad enough, but Arthur taking an actual aircraft to the sky made her quiver in her boots.

"Sure, as long as it's okay with your grandmother," Hermione replied in what she hoped was a cheery voice. She turned and looked in askance to Molly who was nodding and beaming.

Hermione busied herself with helping Molly with dinner while the two children slunk away to the living room. Molly was uncharacteristically silent while they worked, only speaking when she needed something but otherwise she focused on the task at hand.

This gave Hermione a chance to think through everything that had happened that day. Today marked the first time she had fired someone from her department. Of course, it was the Ministry of Magic, so firing didn't have the same weight as it did in the muggle world. Unless someone was truly reprehensible, they were merely moved to another department.

Her interaction with Thorfinn Rowle was the part of the day that kept coming back to her. Granted, she didn't really know him during the war, but she was surprised that he'd shown an emotional side today. She supposed she viewed him as a Death Eater, a mindless killing machine doing Lord Voldemort's bidding.

"Hermione, there's something –" Molly started but was cut off by the front door opening and Ron coming tumbling in the door with a woman she didn't recognise. George was close behind them with Angelina in tow.

"Hey mum!" Ron said jovially, a big smile on his face until he spotted Hermione. He suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Hermione, what a surprise!" he said in a would-be casual voice, sauntering over to her.

"This is hardly a surprise, Ronald, you know that the children stay here during the day and that I pick them up after work," she hissed at him, rolling her eyes.

Ron said nothing, but shifted his feet. George shook his head slowly and patted his brother on the shoulder before disappearing into the living room, giving Hermione a wave as he went.

"Hermione, it's great to see you," Angelina said, looking like she wanted to exit as quickly as her husband had. She at least paused to kiss Hermione on the cheek before she disappeared.

"Uh, mum, I'll be in my room," Ron said shiftily, grabbing the unknown woman's hand and started dragging her out of the kitchen.

"I think not Ronald, you will introduce me to this woman or you're not to take her out of this room and into our children's presence." Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"She's already met them!" Ron retorted, his face quickly turning the same colour as his hair.

"Right, I guess I'll see you back in front of the Wizengamot for breaking our custody arrangement, Ronald," Hermione retorted, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms.

"Hermione, I'm sure it won't come to that, let's sit and talk about this," Molly said desperately, striding over so she was between her son and daughter-in-law.

"I'm not going to sit and talk about this, we have an iron clad agreement in place which stipulates that all new partners have to be introduced to the other party before said new partner is introduced to the children." Hermione said, gifting Ron with a filthy look.

Ron was too busy imitating a goldfish while the woman behind him dashed out the front door. A small pop of apparition was heard once she was over the threshold. Hermione threw Ron one last look of contempt before striding into the living room.

She grabbed Rose and Hugo's hands and hauled them out of the room with a sharp word that they were leaving. Neither child argued when they saw the thunderous look on their mother's face. She ignored Ron when she re-entered the kitchen, he was still looking like a stunned mullet.

"Molly, I'll owl you later, I'm sorry to run out on dinner like this," she said calmly, smiling at Molly who looked devastated with the turn of events. She turned and marched the children out of The Burrow and apparated with them the moment she was outside of the wards guarding Weasley's home.

#

Once home, Hermione hauled the children upstairs for their baths, while calling out to their house elf, Stanty. When she was fourteen and trying to start the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, she'd never have thought that one day she would have a house elf.

Of course, that was without reckoning that she herself would set up the House Elf Support Office at the Ministry. Even if she hadn't, she'd seen enough from Harry and Sirius' relationships with Kreacher to know that a House Elf was the product of its environment and that they were happier with a master. Even though she had set up the House Elf Support Office ten years ago, her own House Elf still thought her odd for Hermione to give her money and days off work.

"Miss Hermione, dinner will be ready in twenty minutes," Stanta squeaked at her, appearing next to her in the hallway outside of the bathroom.

"Thanks, Stanty," she smiled at the small elf. The elf was wearing an outfit she quite often wore to cook: a black and white checkered jumpsuit with an outrageous pink apron. The children's dress up chef hat that Hermione had found at a muggle store was perched on her head.

Stanty always made her laugh with the clothes she chose to wear. It was the only part of the House Elf freedom bill that she embraced with open arms. Clothes were the only reason that Stanty accepted her salary from Hermione. She spent every last Knut she made on buying new clothes and paying for a subscription to a top muggle fashion magazine.

Hermione had had to put an undetectable extension charm on the house elf's closet owing to her running out of room for new clothes. She had to admit though, she was very happy to indulge the elf as it made her fourteen year old self smile.

"Bath, dinner and then play, I think," Hermione sighed to her children, waving her wand at the bathtub, which started filling with warm bubbly water straight away.

"Yes, mum," Rose and Hugo chanted as they took their clothes off and climbed into the cavernous bath. Hermione flicked her wand and the water stopped. Another flick and the bath toys plopped into the bath.

"Mum, why didn't we stay for dinner and grandma and grandpa's house?" Rose asked her, twisting to face her.

"Something came up, but there's nothing to worry about, you'll see grandma again tomorrow," Hermione smiled, waving her wand so that bubbles flowed out the end.

The sufficiently distracted Rose from her question. The girl squealed gleefully, clapping her hands together in a bid to squash the bubbles.

"Bubbles, bubbles!" Hugo cried crashing his arms in the water, causing a waves to crash around the edges of the bath.

Hermione laughed heartily, there was nothing better than seeing her children enjoying themselves. They were both what Hermione called bath-aholics, she couldn't tempt either of them to try showering which was infinitely quicker. She always felt guilty that she had to be away from them at work, so she cherished these moments at home with them, just the three of them.

The rest of the evening passed quickly, the dinner that Stanty had prepared was delicious, even the perpetually fussy Hugo had loved it. Rose didn't question anymore about their abrupt departure from The Burrow and she was glad, she never wanted the children caught between her and Ron.

Later, they spent far too long playing a game of Rose's invention after dinner resulting in the two children going to bed a behind schedule. In Hugo's room, the three of them curled up on the bed to read their bed time story.

"The Sly Fox and the Little Red Hen," Hermione read from the cover of the oft requested book. Hugo and Rose smiled and snuggled together while she read to them.

Hugo was all but asleep by the end, so Hermione kissed him softly on the cheek and scooped Rose up and crept out of the room. Rose was far from asleep when they arrived in her room and promptly talked Hermione into reading her another book.

"Let's read this," Rose said, pushing a thick book towards Hermione.

"I'll read the first chapter, and then tomorrow night you can read a chapter to me," Hermione reasoned. It was, after all, a novel and Hermione wasn't about to read the entire book to her in one evening.

The two of them curled up on Rose's bed and Hermione began to read once again. Rose was asleep before the end of the second page. Laughing to herself, Hermione put a marker in the book and scooted off the bed as quietly as she could.

"Mummy, are you ever going to be married to dad again?" Rose's voice called softly when Hermione reached the door.

"I don't think so, poppet," Hermione answered softly. "He and I are much better as friends, but we will always love you and Hugo."

"Grandma said you'd be mad when you found out that we had met dad's friend, Scarlet," Rose told her matter-of-factly.

"Grandma is always right, love." Hermione sighed. So Rose knew what they'd fought about, even though Molly had that kitchen warded.

"That's why I asked to stay for dinner, so you'd find out," Rose admitted.

"What?!" Hermione exclaimed, her brow furrowing. She would hex Ron if she found out he was bringing their children into the middle of their divorce.

"Dad told us not to tell you, even though I pointed out that you always say that honestly is the best policy," Rose said, tears brimming in her eyes as she spoke.

"Oh, sweetie, don't cry, it's not your fault," Hermione crooned, gathering her daughter up and holding her close.

"I'm sorry for lying, mummy," Rose said, her voice muffled by Hermione's robes.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, you were just doing as your father asked," Hermione soothed. "Now, it's time for sleep, young lady."

Rose gave her a watery smile and laid back down. Hermione wiped away her tears and kissed each cheek. She kept her smiling mask in place in front of Rose while she exited her room while inside she was seething.

She didn't for one moment want to stop the children from seeing their father. That would be detrimental to their wellbeing. But right that second she wanted to hex Ronald Weasley stupid.

Stanty had fixed her a glass of wine when she arrived back downstairs. The House Elf was curled up on the settee with a fashion magazine and a shot glass full wine for herself. She couldn't help but laugh at the shot glass but reminded herself that the elf could hardly drink a full glass of wine without becoming intoxicated. Hermione remembered it hadn't taken much butterbeer to put Winky under the table.

"Here, you might find this easier," Hermione said helpfully, summoning one of the wine glasses from the kitchen and reducing it in size for the elf. Stanty's eyes light up as Hermione passed her the small wine glass.

"To being free, Miss Hermione," Stanty squeaked, raising her now full miniature wine glass.

"To freedom," Hermione murmured, clinking her glass against Stanty's. They both drank from their glasses, smiling. Stanty quickly went back to her magazine while Hermione picked up a roll of parchment and her quill from the coffee table and began to write a letter to Molly.

She wanted Molly to look after the children here, rather than at The Burrow as she had no intention of running into Ron again. She also had no intention of taking their custody battle back in front of the Wizengamot. She had to think of the children's best interests after all, and going back to having a legal battle with Ron wasn't something she was willing to do just yet.

She hoped Molly would understand.


End file.
